St. Francis Middle School. Parent Handbook

Transcription

1 St. Francis Middle School Parent Handbook

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3 Important Phone Numbers St. Francis Middle School Attendance Reporting Transportation Nutrition Services Community Education Special Education School Closings & Special Messages District Office Hours 6:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Building Hours 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Teaching Staff Hours 7:45 a.m.-2:12 p.m. School Hours Message to Parents St. Francis Middle School (SFMS) serves students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Our anticipated enrollment for school year is 1,100 students. Our entire staff, which includes administration, counselors, teachers, office professionals, educational assistants, custodians and nutrition service workers, is dedicated toward meeting the unique physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of all students in our charge. School programs are designed to provide abundant opportunities for continuous academic growth and enrichment during these transitional years between elementary and secondary levels. This handbook and the student agenda are designed to provide parents with an introduction to our staff and programs. Please read this handbook carefully and please keep it handy for future reference throughout the entire school year. Bobbi A. Anderson-Hume, Ph.D. Principal PUBLIC NOTICE - DIRECTORY INFORMATION INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 15 St. Francis, Minnesota NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Independent School District No. 15 designates the following as directory information: 1. Student s name 2. Age 3. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports 4 Weight and height of members of athletic teams 5. Degrees and awards received 6. The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student Directory information does not include identifying data which references religion, race, color, social position, or nationality. Directory information is public data under Minnesota law. Pursuant to federal law, a parent/guardian of a student attending the School District or an 18-year-old student attending the District, may refuse to allow the District to designate some or all of the above categories of information about the student as directory information. Any information not designated as directory information on a student cannot be released by the District without the consent of the student s parent or the student, if 18 years of age or older. If a parent/guardian or student does not want some or all of the above information designated as directory information, he or she must contact the principal of the building which the student attends and complete a written document denying release of the information. The form must be completed and provided to the District within two (2) weeks of this publication notice. A copy of the form to deny release of information is available at the Central Services Center or principal s office upon request. Independent School District No. 15 July 25, 2016 Parent Handbook 1

4 SFMS Calendar of Events DATE EVENT TIMES LOCATION 08/15/16 Intervention Information Night 6:00 7:30 p.m. Gym 1 08/25/16 Early Access Afternoon 2:00 6:00 p.m. Media Center 08/31/16 Grade 6 Open House 4:00 6:00 p.m. 08/31/16 Grades 7 & 8 Open House 6:30 8:00 p.m. 09/05/16 No School Labor Day 09/06/16 School Begins 09/13/16 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /14/16 Magazine Fundraiser Kick-off 09/15/16 Postcard Turn Turn-in Day 09/16/16 Picture Day 09/16/16 All-School Activity Dance 2:20 5:00 p.m. 09/21/16 90-Minute Late Start 09/23/16 Fundraiser Turn-in: Double Order Day 09/29/16 Final Fundraiser Turn-in Day 10/10/16 Yankee Candle Fundraiser Kick-off 10/11/16 Grade 7 Youth Frontiers Retreat Constance Free Church 10/11/16 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /12/16 Grade 7 Youth Frontiers Retreat Constance Free Church 10/13/16 Mid-Trimester 10/13/16 Picture Retake Day 10/13/16 Family/Teacher Conferences 4:00 7:30 p.m. 10/17/16 Family/Teacher Conferences 4:00 7:30 p.m. 10/19/16 90-Minute Late Start 10/20/16 No School Education Minnesota 10/21/16 No School Education Minnesota 10/25/16 Yankee Candle Orders Due 10/26/16 Magazine Fundraiser Delivery Day 10/26/16 Grade 7 Vision & Hearing Testing 10/27/16 Grade 7 Vision & Hearing Testing 10/28/16 All-School Activity Dance 2:20 5:00 p.m. 11/15/16 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /16/16 90-Minute Late Start 11/23/16 End of Trimester 1 11/24/16 No School Thanksgiving 11/25/16 No School Thanksgiving 11/28/16 No School Grading Day 11/29/16 Second Trimester Begins 11/30/16 Report Cards Available in to View in Infinite Campus 12/08/16 Grade 6 Band & Choir Concert 6:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. SFMS Gym 12/09/16 All-School Activity Dance 2:20 5:00 p.m. 12/13/16 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /13/16 Grade 7 Band & Choir Concert 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. SFMS Gym 12/15/16 Grade 8 Band & Mixed Choir Concert 6:00 p.m. SFMS Gym 2 St. Francis Middle School

5 DATE EVENT TIMES LOCATION 12/15/16 Grade 8 Band & Concert Choir 7:00 p.m. SFMS Gym 12/21/16 90-Minute Late Start 12/23/16 No School Winter Break Begins through 01/03/17 01/10/17 Family/Teacher Conferences 4:00 7:30 p.m. 01/12/17 Family/Teacher Conferences 4:00 7:30 p.m. 01/16/17 No School Martin Luther King Day 01/17/17 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /18/17 Mid-Trimester 01/18/17 90-Minute Late Start 02/10/17 All-School Activity Dance 2:20 5:00 p.m. 02/14/17 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. 02/15/17 90-Minute Late Start 02/20/17 No School Presidents Day 02/21/17 No School Staff Development 03/02/17 End of Trimester 2 03/03/17 No School Grading Day 03/06/17 No School Spring Break Begins 03/13/17 School Resumes Trimester 3 Begins 03/14/17 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /15/17 Report Cards Available to View in Infinite Campus 03/16/17 All District Bands Concert 7:00 p.m. SFHS Gym 03/17/17 All-School Activity Dance 2:20 5:00 p.m. 03/22/17 90-Minute Late Start 04/07/17 HS & MS Jazz Concert 7:00 p.m. SFHS PAC 04/11/17 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /14/17 No School 04/21/17 Mid-Trimester 04/19/17 90-Minute Late Start 05/09/17 SMC Meeting 3:00 4:30 p.m. Room /09/17 Grade 7 Band & Choir Concert 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. SFMS Gym 05/11/17 Grade 6 Band & Choir Concert 6:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. SFMS Gym 05/16/17 Grade 8 Band & Choir Concert 7:00 p.m. SFMS Gym 05/17/17 90-Minute Late Start 05/29/17 No School Memorial Day 06/02/17 End of Trimester 3 06/02/17 Last Day of School* 06/05/17 No School Grading Day 06/12/17 Report Cards Mailed Home and Available in Infinite Campus * June 6 and 7 are designated make-up days, if applicable, due to emergency school closings Parent Handbook 3

6 District Office Personnel Mr. Troy Ferguson Superintendent Mr. Brandon Nelson Human Resources Director Mr. Scott Nelson Business Services Director Ms. Lisa Rahn Community Education Director Ms. Wendy Klobe Nutrition Services Supervisor Mr. Tim Finn Special Services Director School Board Members Chairwoman Marsha Van Denburgh Vice Chairwoman Suzanne Erkel Clerk Barbara Jahnke Treasurer Amy Kelly Director Janet Hunt Director Scott Schwartz Director (Open) Site Management Council (SMC) Dr. Bobbi Anderson-Hume (Principal) Ms. Beth LaCoursiere (Assistant Principal) Ms. Annie Mickelburg (Secretary/Treasurer) Ms. Angie Benson (Parent) Ms. Dawn Nordin (Teacher) Ms. Tracy Burman (Parent) Ms. Kari Rehrauer (Certified Staff) Ms. Shannon Esboldt (Parent) Ms. Janell Tibodeau (Parent) Ms. Janet Hunt (School Board Rep) Ms. Coral-Lyn Wyman (Certified Staff) Ms. Kara Merrifield (Non-certified Staff) Open (Certified Staff) Open (Parent) St. Francis Middle School is served by a decision-making council composed of staff and community members. The council is charged with the responsibility of orchestrating the best possible educational environment within the allocations provided to this organizational level by the District 15 school board. SMC constitutions are available upon request in the school office for review. SMC meetings are regularly scheduled once each month of the school year at times convenient to all members. SMC Input forms are available in the school office for use to submit concerns/ issues to the SMC. After School Students may not be in the building after the regular school hours except under the direct supervision of a teacher or an activity supervisor. Students waiting for a ride home after school must remain in the hallway by the main office. Students who need to make an emergency trip to their lockers must be accompanied by an adult and must sign in at the main office. Background Checks Independent School District 15 (ISD 15) requires employees and volunteers, working for ISD 15 to have a background check completed. This background check is valid for one (1) year. Supervisors and Human Resources will determine if background information warrants any limitation on district employment or participation. Building Entrance Once the school day begins, all doors to SFMS are locked. Any person needing to enter the building will show a picture ID, using electronic monitoring equipment, to the office professional on duty. Your ID will be shown again upon entering the building. Campus Portal Every student entering ISD 15 is entered into a student information system called Infinite Campus. This provides instant access to accurate, current and confidential information about your child s school attendance, grades, class assignments, and more. For data privacy, accessing this information requires a password and you will only be able to see information for your children. Portal users have the ability to display information in one of the following languages: English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The portal is also available as an app for Android, iphone, and ipad Touch devices. Research has shown parent involvement is a key attribute to student success. ISD 15 has opened the Campus Portal to enhance communication between the classroom and parents. Users of Campus Portal will have access to the following information about their child(ren): Personal and household information Assessment information Attendance Calendar Class assignments and grades Course registration and schedules Graduation planner Health immunizations Reports such as a helpful To Do list 4 St. Francis Middle School

7 For questions about passwords or other technical assistance, please contact the Office of School Technology at or call Marika Hendricks at Independent District 15 reserves the right to add or remove any of the above functions from the Campus Portal at any time. Independent District 15 reserves the right to deny access to the Campus Portal due to court orders or any other legal proceedings that limit availability of private educational data. Concerns With 1,100 students expected to be in attendance this year, over 120 staff members, and a vast array of programs and services, it is not unrealistic to expect that parents/ guardians may have a concern or two, on occasion. In the event you have a concern regarding general performance of your child, please speak with your child s teachers and/ or make contact with one of our school counselors. You are requested to direct any concerns regarding programs/personnel to Dr. Anderson-Hume; any concerns regarding student discipline to Ms. LaCoursiere; and concerns involving transportation to the District Transportation Director, Mr. Krause at Dress Code Clothing worn at St. Francis Middle School must fit within these guidelines: All clothing must have sewn seams. Shirts must have straps of at least two inches. Halter tops, off-the-shoulder tops, and shirts that are strapless are not permitted. Necklines of shirts must be near the collarbone. Holes in pants/shorts/skirts must not display undergarments or skin above mid-thigh. The bottom of the shirt must be longer than the waist of the pants/shorts/skirt so as not to expose the midriff. The length of the skirt/shorts must not be above midthigh. Pants/shorts/skirts should be anchored near the waist and not expose undergarments. Hats, hoods, bandanas that cover the whole head, head covering etc. should not be worn without administrative approval. Slippers and clothing designed for sleeping should not be worn. Clothing items that display chemical, tobacco, alcohol, weapons, gang symbolism, profane or sexual language or pictures will not be allowed. Jackets meant for outdoor wear must not be worn or carried to class. Backpacks, athletic bags, purses, tote bags, etc. are not allowed in hallways or classrooms. Masks and face paint should not be worn at any time. A student s total appearance should not be threatening, dangerous, distracting, or a potential for disruption in the classroom. Students whose clothes do not fit within these guidelines will be required to change their clothes. Students who refuse to change may face an administrative consequence. Early Departure Students leaving school at any time during the school day, for any reason, must be signed out by a parent/guardian or emergency contact from the main office. District addresses are comprised of the staff member s first name, then a period, then the last name, Example: Bobbi Hume s address is: bobbi.hume@isd15.org enews Keep up to date on school news and alerts via and/ or text messages. Visit - go to your school s page and click on enews. It s easy, free and paperless! You may also follow us on Facebook: St. Francis Middle School, or on Twitter: StFrancisMiddle. Entrance to St. Francis Middle School The only access to St. Francis Middle School is made at the entrance off Highway 47. Please do not drive into the bus parking area. Curbside, student drop-off and pick-up is only accessible from the school s parking lot. Please note: If you are picking up your student before school lets out, you must come into the building and sign them out. Fees Music Instrument Rental... $30.00 (charge for use of school-owned instrument when used in addition to student s personal instrument) Instrument Rental... $60.00 (charge for use of school-owned instrument when student does not use personal instrument) Parent Handbook 5

8 Field Trips Enrichment field trips may be conducted during the school year as the budget permits. Parents/Guardians are notified well in advance of all Middle School field trips and are requested to sign a permission slip prior to each individual trip. Grading Policy Grades are issued following each of our three, twelve-week marking periods. Grades include A, B, C, D, F, S, U, P, NG, and I. A grade of A depicts excellent, B good, C average, D much room for improvement, F failing, S satisfactory, U unsatisfactory, and P pass for Phy. Ed. (generally medical excuse), NG no grade, and I Incomplete. An incomplete should be made up within two weeks following the end of the marking period to avoid a failing grade. Middle school grades are based upon individual ability and performance. Students are advised we expect nothing less than their best efforts and parents are encouraged to keep this in mind when reviewing their children s grades. Continuous improvement must remain our common goal. Guidelines for Parent/Guardian Participation in the Classroom When parents/guardians choose to participate within the school setting, the following guidelines need to be followed in order to avoid disrupting the education of students in the school setting: Parents/guardians are required to notify the school of the date/time when they will be observing or visiting the classroom. A 24-hour advance notice is required. All visitors are required to check into the school office upon arrival. It is expected that parents/guardians will take all due precautions to avoid disruption to the education of their son/daughter, or other students in the classroom. This would include: Sitting or standing in an area that would not interrupt instruction; Refraining from addressing the staff and students during classroom time; Discussing the possibility of a classroom visit with your son/daughter prior to the visit; Refrain from talking and/or texting on cell phone. If parents/guardians are present to assist in a volunteer capacity, the roles/responsibilities should be outlined prior to the visit in order to avoid interrupting the teaching staff during instruction. Parents/guardians are encouraged to discuss their observations or experiences with the teacher after school, or at a mutually agreed upon time when instruction will not be interrupted. The School Board adopted policy on March 23, Gum/Candy/Pop/Energy Drinks/Water Chewing gum/candy is not recommended at SFMS. This is directed by teachers. When staff request it, students are to get rid of gum/candy immediately, no questions, no arguments, and no replacements. Also, gum is not allowed in Physical Education classes. Energy drinks and pop are not allowed in school. Beverages for after school events must remain sealed (unopened) in student lockers. Open containers will be confiscated and the incident referred to the principal s office. HEALTH SERVICES The School Health Staff work with families, students and staff to promote a healthy and safe school environment. School health staff provides the basic first aid needs of students and staff and respond to emergency situations that may happen during the school day. The health service staff includes a Licensed School Nurse (LSN) and Health Educational Assistant (HEA). The HEA works under the directions of the LSN in carrying out delegated nursing functions such as medication administration and other nursing procedures. Emergency Cards: It is very important to have a current emergency card available to the health office staff. An emergency card is sent home every fall for families to complete. Please notify the health office staff if contact information such as phone numbers or address changes occur during the school year. Note you are able to make corrections to your emergency contact online in Campus Portal. Students can only be released with emergency contacts listed on the student s card. Illness during the school day: Students should remain at home when ill including the following conditions: 1. Temperature of 100 degrees or greater (Note: students should not return to school until they have a normal temperature (97 to 98.6 degrees) for 24 hours.) 2. Vomiting and/or diarrhea. 3. Unknown rash (Note: students should be evaluated by their health care provider to prevent spread of potential communicable disease to another student). 4. Sore throat: if a culture for strep is done, the student must stay home until results of culture are known. If the culture is positive for strep, the student needs to be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school. 6 St. Francis Middle School

9 When students are ill or injured at school, school health staff attempts to first contact the parent/guardian; if unable to reach, the names listed on the student s emergency card will be contacted. A student will not be sent home with anyone not listed on the emergency card unless special arrangements are made by the parent/ guardian with the health staff. Medications: The following is required when a student s health condition requires that a prescription or an over-thecounter medication (non-prescription) be given during the school hours: 1. Written consent by a physician or licensed prescriber and signed by the parent/guardian 2. Medication to be given needs to be in the original prescription container or unopened over-thecounter container 3. Medication brought to school by parent/guardian or a responsible adult unless prior arrangements are made with the LSN. Asthma: Students with asthma may self-carry and administer their quick relief asthma inhaler at school when a health care provider, parent/guardian, and school nurse agree that a student is able to self-administer their medication safely and responsibly at school, (MN Inhaler Use Statutes 121A.221). Consent to self-carry must be completed annually by the prescribing health professional and parent/guardian and returned to the school nurse. Chronic Health Conditions: Please provide the school nurse with current health information including activity restrictions for a student with chronic health conditions (ex: asthma, diabetes, seizures, ADHD, life-threatening allergies) especially if they may result in an emergency or impact the student s ability to participate fully in their educational program. Students with asthma: a written Asthma Action Plan (AAP) with a copy provided to the health office promotes student safety at school. Physical Education (PE): Students are expected to participate in physical education activities unless the health office has a written excuse from a health care provider that includes documentation of illness or injury and the duration (short or long term) of PE exclusion. Health Screenings: Several screening programs are conducted during the school year at various grade levels. A screening is defined as a quick, simple procedure carried out among large groups of people to sort out apparently well persons from those who have an abnormality and to identify those in need of further evaluation by a professional. Vision and hearing are the primary avenues through which learning occurs, the screening of recommended grades is done annually. Students who have a problem passing the initial screening will be rescreened. If an apparent problem is still present at the rescreening a referral letter will be sent home suggesting follow-up by a professional. A screening does not take the place of a regular exam. Physical Exams: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends students have a complete physical exam before entering Kindergarten, 4th grade, 7th grade and 10th grade. A physical is required every three years for those involved in interscholastic sports. Immunizations: According to MN State Statutes 121A.15: 1. All Kindergarten students must show proof of having received the following immunizations: 5 DTaP, 4 Polio (OPV/IPV), 3 Hepatitis B, 2 MMR s (Measles, mumps, rubella), 2 Varicella (chicken pox), 1 Meningitis 2. All 7th grade students must show proof of having had the following immunizations: Tdap (Tetanus/ diphtheria/pertussis) booster, 3 Hepatitis B, 2 Varicella 3. All high school students must show proof of having received all of the above listed immunizations. Homebound: Homebound education services can be arranged for long term illnesses/injuries (Note: 10 days or more). A physician s note is required stating the illness/injury and the expected length of time the student will be absent. Animals in school: If parents are planning on bringing an animal to school for students to see, please contact the health office to insure District procedures are followed. Classrooms will go outside to see the animals Latex Balloons: Latex balloons will not be allowed in school due to latex sensitivity for students and adults. Mylar balloons can be used. If you have additional questions, please call the health office at your child s school. SFMS Health Office staff are: Colleen Flaten at or Sheryl Achman at Parent Handbook 7

10 Helpful Hints for Homework Expect your child to record assignments daily and ask to see this record each day. Ask to see when assignments are due and assist with planning to see that the deadlines are met. Additionally, expect your child to spend 45 minutes to one hour studying at home each day after school. This time in a quiet study area is necessary to complete assignments, practice spelling, review notes, teach back to parent what was learned in school that day, silent reading and/or oral reading to a parent or sibling. It is critically important that parents are consistent regarding utilization of quiet study at home each school day. Do not accept I don t have anything to do or I did it all at school. Studies have clearly proven that regular study at home following each school day dramatically improves academic performance. On the other hand, should your child be working on daily school assignments at home in excess of one hour on a frequent basis please alert our guidance/counseling center for unrealistic expectations can be very detrimental to achievement. Insurance Information ISD 15 does not provide any type of health or accident insurance for injuries incurred by your child at school. ISD 15 Nutrition Services at the Middle School The Prepaid Meal System means each student and staff person will have a personal account. Money must be in the account before a meal is deducted from it. Lunches and breakfasts may be purchased during the school year by dropping off an envelope with the name of student, pin number indicated as well as cash or check, to the Cashier s Office or the lunch money drop off box located in the hallway by the Main Office. Envelopes may be dropped off at the cashier s office or the lunch money drop off box at any time; however, to receive credit on the account for the same day the envelopes must be in the cashier s office no later than 9:45 a.m. Note that sending cash with your student is discouraged. We cannot be responsible for lost or misdirected cash. Students are allowed one meal per day at the student rate of $2.40; adults $3.50. Second meals may be purchased for $3.50. Students are discouraged from purchasing meals for friends, and are encouraged to not share their pin number. Breakfast costs $1.45 for students and $1.90 for adults. No cash will be accepted in the lunch line. Funds must be available in accounts before a meal or à la carte item may be purchased. Anyone may check on their account balance while in line or during the cashier s hours. Applications for Educational Benefits (including school meals) are available in the main office or on our website Free & Reduced meal participants must deposit extra funds into their accounts if they want to purchase à la carte items, or purchase second meals. These policies for the purchase of meals are necessary so that the district may conform to the regulations of the State of Minnesota and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Please note, regulations require students to take ½ cup of fruit or vegetables at lunch for the meal to be complete. FAQ S (Frequently Asked Questions) How will I know how much money is in my account? You may ask the cashier for the balance in your prepaid account at any time. The cashier will tell you at lunch if your account is low and requires more funds. You may request a statement of your account at any time. It will show what was purchased and on what day. May I pay cash for my lunch, breakfast or milk during lunch hours? NO money will be exchanged during lunch. Please deposit cash into your account in the morning or the cashier will advise you to see her after lunch. Staff and students may not receive cash from checks written for lunch purchases nor will the cashier cash checks. Sending cash with students is discouraged and at your own risk. We cannot be responsible for lost, misdirected or stolen cash. Please send checks to school or use Visa, MasterCard or Discover, electronic check or debit card to purchase meals using PayPams or FeePay. Access these choices at Choose the Departments tab, select Nutrition Services and then Meal Payments Options. A transaction fee does apply when using online payment options. What happens when my account gets low or empty? When there are only three meals left in the account, the cashier will notify the child. The computer will not allow an account to fall below zero. Charging meals without funds is not permitted. What if I currently receive free meals? Eligible students for free or reduced meals do not need to make any deposits into accounts to receive a free lunch and breakfast each day. However, if you want to purchase extra milk (50 ), snacks, or a second lunch ($3.50), there must be funds in your account BEFORE purchases are made. What if I currently receive reduced priced meals? Due to special state funding, reduced students are also eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch each day. However, if you want to purchase milk, snacks, or a second lunch ($3.50), there must be funds in your account BEFORE purchases are made. 8 St. Francis Middle School

11 May I use my lunch account to pay for other school items? No - your account is to be used only for meals. MIDDLE SCHOOL MEAL PRICES Lunch... $2.40 Second Lunch... $3.50 Breakfast... $1.45 Second Breakfast... $1.90 Extra Milk Juice Make-up Work Students are required to make up all assignments missed due to an absence. Students are allowed 1 day for each day of absence to complete the assignments. Students who are absent from class for support groups, music lessons, or an activity are expected to have class assignments completed when that class meets again. Newsletter A school newsletter will be posted on our website on the last school day of each month beginning on September 30. Parent Chaperone Volunteers Many school sponsored activities could not be held without parent help. Please plan to take your turn sometime during the school year to volunteer to help with at least one such activity. You will need to have a background check done prior to your participation and you may complete the form on the district website. The Volunteer Background Check can be found under the District tab > Forms and Publications. Parent/Guardian/Teacher Communication Conference The importance of parental/guardian support and understanding is critical toward student achievement. Therefore, teachers will provide information and be available to address parental/guardian concerns throughout the school year. In the event any parent/ guardian is concerned with an instructor it is essential that the two communicate in an attempt to resolve any issue. The principal should be notified if a concern remains following initial contact with the instructor involved. A meeting will be subsequently scheduled by the principal to include the parent(s)/guardian(s) and teacher for the purpose of clarifying the concern and addressing the issue toward mutual satisfaction. Family Conferences Family-Teacher Conferences - Be Positive, Be Prepared Family conferences will be held from 4:00-7:30 p.m. on the following four dates: October 13, 2016 January 10, 2017 October 17, 2016 January 12, 2017 Family-teacher conferences are one of the many steps taken to help build a child s educational program. It is an opportunity for a parent to discuss a child s progress in school with his or her teacher and learn more about the student. Report cards, notes, etc., have their advantages, but the parent-teacher conference has one thing more it s a chance to get together in person and seek ways to work together to help your child. As a parent this provides you with a chance to: get to know your child s teachers or teacher; learn about the school and curriculum; discuss your child s strengths and weaknesses in various areas. Return Check Policy (Services provided by Advantage Collection Professionals) A service fee of $30.00 or the amount allowable under state law will be imposed on all returned checks. Additional civil penalties may be imposed if the check is not paid with 30 days of dishonor (M.S.A ). In the event your draft or EFT is returned unpaid, your account may be debited electronically for the original amount of the draft or EFT and an item fee of $30.00 School Sponsored Activity Reminders Off-Campus All school rules apply at all school sponsored activities whether on-campus or off-campus. Students transported by bus to an off-campus activity must return on the assigned bus unless parent/legal guardian assumes custody by speaking to chaperone in charge directly at the time that custody is taken. A suspension from transportation involves all bus transportation whether regular, field trip, extracurricular, or any other bus service. Special Education Students who are identified as eligible for special education are provided instruction by staff trained to teach children with special learning needs. Parents who desire testing to determine eligibility may refer their children by alerting our Middle School counseling staff. Parent Handbook 9

12 Security Students are advised to never bring large amounts of money to school. Additionally, the ever increasing value of phones, electronics, tennis shoes, coats, etc. makes it essential to permanently mark each item with the student s name. Also, caution your child to never leave any item of value such as eye wear, electronics, watches, rings, etc. unattended. Tobacco on School Grounds Commencing July 1, 1993 it is illegal to smoke on any school grounds in the State of Minnesota. Updated August, St. Francis Middle School